By: DD Sharma

A view of the Ponda village
PONDA (KINNAUR): While Himachal as a whole has been cluelessly wondering how to protect its fast-dwindling forest cover, a small village in the far-off Kinnaur region has silently been practicing forests conservation successfully over the years. The success of the effort lies in the fact that the village [...]

By: Rajeev Sapahiya
PALAMPUR: Among the galaxy of film festivals organised all over the world every year, this one, held in a nondescript village on the footsteps of the Himalayas, was a special one. The Nai–Taleem Film Festival held at a small Tibetan village, Tashi Jong, in the Palampur tehsil of Himachal Pradesh, on December 8 [...]

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KULLU: Tribals from Lahaul on Tuesday held protest demonstrations against the government’s failure to provide regular helicopter service to places like Kelong, Udaipur and Tindi. Earlier also people had protested at the Bhunter airport when the discounted air service to these tribal areas was postponed due to bad weather.
Residents of the district have been alleging [...]

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SHIMLA: Bhagwandev Chaitanya, Tejram Sharma, SR Harnot, Shastri Loknath, KR Bharti and Badri Singh Bhatia are among the recipients of Himachal Arts and Culture Academy awards for the period, 2003 to 2006. The awards are given to Himachali writers for their achievements in the field of creative writing in the last three years.

By: Vividhaditya and Hema D

AN UPHILL TASK: Nandini Maheshwari (L) and Ankit Maheshwari (R), the President and CEO of Instablogs Network respectively
It was lure of the hills, more than the economics involved that made Ankit Maheshwari and his better half Nandini Maheshwari leave the hyperactive metro life of Delhi and put up their base in [...]

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SHIMLA: The Timber Merchant Association has decided to boycott auctions at all state forest corporation depots. They have been demanding that VAT be paid once a year. According to the state policy, value added tax (VAT) is to be paid each time the timber is sold. The excise and taxation department had earlier given [...]

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DHARAMSALA:Himachal Pradesh will soon have a Disaster Management Authority under the chairmanship of the chief minister. Other major decisions taken by the government:

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DHARAMSALA: The state government on Tuesday decided to remove unqualified teachers appointed by parent teachers’ associations (PTA). The process for appointing teachers through the Subordinate Selection Board is ALREADY under way, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said during the Vidhan Sabha session in Dharamsala.
 

Photo and copyright: Lalit Kumar

Tourists enjoy a cultural programme, under the Taka Benches, on The Ridge, Shimla, Himachal Pradesh, organised by Activity Zone, an event organising company on Christmas, December 25, 2006. Popular Pahari singers Kuldeep Sharma and Surender enthralled the tourists with Pahari-Himachali songs. Poorna Shiva and Seema Thakur kept the tourists happy with [...]

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PALAMPUR: The Himalayan Policy Campaign Committee (HPCC) has written to the Prime Minister, bringing to his notice the ongoing struggle between tribals in Kinnaur and a company executing a hydroelectric project in the Karchham-Wangtoo area.